Don't Close Your Heart
by Bitway
Summary: A Cipher scientist questions why he's even helping create Shadow Pokemon. A familiar face appears to remind him why. Kind of. Slight Hiromido.


a/n: I was in a writing mood for some hiromido (but this didn't come out so hiromido-y) and pokemon hype was affecting me so I decided to mash them together. This is just a real quick thing and not really edited, but still hope you enjoy it.

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 _Why am I even bothering with all of this?_

The question had continued to wrack at the green haired trainer's mind nearly every time he had taken a break from his work. Eyes glanced over the many papers and files on his desk, random words were read but none stuck in his memory for the time being. Photographs of Pokemon were scattered underneath the papers. He decided to move the papers to cover the images.

For someone working for the infamous Cipher, Midorikawa could not handle the sight of seeing Pokemon suffering as the door to their hearts were shut. Photographic wise or when it was happening right before his very eyes. It was a sight he could live without ever witnessing.

He was far to sensitive for these experiments and yet he had one of the greatest minds for it. Mentally, he'd curse that fact during each experiment. He was helping in these terribly painful process of turning innocent Pokemon into fighting machines.

"I really do hate this…" He mumbles and feels a light pat on his leg. Looking down from his seat, a Ralts- his Ralts is the cause for this.

"Trying to cheer me up?"

The little Pokemon gives a nod. She always knew when he was feeling down and had always tried to comfort her trainer whenever possible. There was only so much she could do, but her attempts usually proved to have some positive affect on her trainer. Even the slightest change in emotion made his Ralts feel proud to help.

"You are, don't worry." The man moved to pick up the little Pokemon, pulling her into his lap. "I just wish I didn't have to do this so often…" _Or at all_ , he thought while letting out a sigh.

"And I wish you didn't have to witness any of this either…"

Midorikawa could only wonder what it was like for her, to know that her trainer was a 'bad' trainer. To witness that he was assisting in such a devastating project like this. To watch Pokemon lose all emotion. To watch Pokemon like her become fighting machines. To become monsters.

A sudden flash of his Ralts shrouded in a dark aura quickly appeared and the human was quick to react, jumping in fear. He felt a sharp pang of guilt in his chest. No, he would never let that happen. Not to his Pokemon. He could not- _would not_ allow it.

"Rau?" The little Pokemon obviously felt that change in emotion. Now worried, more than before, she held out a white hand to pat at his chest. All she wanted to do was make that beating heart of his go back to normal. She was sure that he wanted the same.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized, "I don't mean to worry you, you know that. I think I really need a break from all this."

But that was something he could not do. If he even dared to ask for some time off, he was certain that this organization would have his head. Those working in the science division could never catch a break. It was all work and no play for them. He'd have better luck asking for that if he was out like one of those peons. But, battling was not his forte. So, he was cooped up in here for most of his time. And he could never tell if that was a good or bad thing.

Another sigh escaped him as he brought a hand to his forehead, rubbing it slightly. His thoughts were leading back to that question that plagued his mind so often.

 _I don't want to be here, I really don't. But…I can't just leave. He's here to. And I don't want him to be disappointed in me. Dear Arceus, he really will think I'm pathetic if I just up and run away like a coward. I can't go, but I just…don't know how much longer I can put up with all of this…_

Midorikawa shut his eyes and was shutting out the world along with it. With his mind so wrapped up in his own predicament, he was unaware of not only his Pokemon trying to get his attention, but someone else as well.

"Midorikawa? Hmm…" The red head looked to the Pokemon sitting on his lap. "I see not even you can get his attention." Ralts only shook his head to this familiar human. She didn't feel the need to alarm her trainer, after all, these two humans were friends in the Pokemon's eyes.

The man sighed and adjusted his glasses for a moment. He didn't want to startle the other, but that seemed to be the only choice now since he was not responding to his voice. He inched just a bit closer to the chair Midorikawa was seated in, taking in a breath before breathing against his neck.

"Gah!" Midorikawa nearly jumped off his seat, instinctively grabbing onto Ralts to make sure the poor Pokemon wouldn't fall off before having a surprised and embarrassed look at the man who had just snapped him out of his thoughts.

"H-Hiroto? What are you doing here?" He gasped, trying not to shout as he was still in a surprised state. "Aren't you supposed to be, you know…um, doing admin things?"

Hiroto gave a light chuckle as he watched the other try to settle down. He knew that he didn't have to resort to that, but frightening him was a bit fun. He always had the cutest reactions to.

"You could say being here is one of my admin duties. I did have to report to Ein and decided to find my favorite scientist in the lab." There was a sweet and innocent smile on his face as he spoke. Seeing that just caused Midorikawa's face to flush red. And being called his favorite scientist to? Oh, his face was definitely red now.

"I…I'm glad you stopped by, but I'm a little busy." He tried to calm himself, turning his head away and pretending to be interested in the papers on his desk. Anything to keep his heart from fluttering too much. He couldn't be swayed by his words, not now.

"It didn't seem that way. You seemed to be thinking about something…" His voice trailed off, a worried expression on his face. Hiroto had a feeling what was on his mind, but he never bothered to raise the question.

 _You don't like it here, do you?_

Hiroto was an admin, one of the highest ranks in Cipher. Asking a scientist if he enjoyed his position in this organization was completely absurd. He should be encouraging him in his work (although, arguably that would be more of Ein's thing to do) and a part of him was pretty amazed by how brilliant he was. Complimenting him on his intellect wasn't anything new, but as time went on, more Shadow Pokemon were being made, more monsters being created, he felt that that compliment had lost it's meaning.

"I am sorry for interrupting you." He pauses, holding his breath for a moment. Trying to find something comforting to say was getting far more difficult. Just speaking to him had. They were both busy in this organization, each doing separate assigned duties. It was difficult to find time to just...talk. And when that was obtainable, there was nothing to be said.

"It's…fine." Midorikawa replies in a quiet voice. He hated his own response. Truthfully, he just wanted to tell him how much he hated this place. How much he wanted to just set the Pokemon free, find a way to reverse this process, leave with him, forget about Cipher and never hear of this organization again!

But that was something he didn't have the courage to say.

Neither one spoke, an awkward silence filling the air. One holding back on his words and the other simply at a loss for them. Each seemed to want to speak, mouth opening yet closing before any words could escape. They were in silence, even Ralts didn't utter one of her little cries.

"The worst prison would be a closed heart."

"What?"

It was Hiroto that broke the silence and with such an odd saying to. Yet, it was a familiar one. Something Midorikawa would say and he had.

"You've said that before, haven't you?"

"Yeah…"

It was something he wish he hadn't said. It had slipped out during one of the earliest experiments. They had both witnessed the first Shadow Pokemon being created and under his breath- although apparently loud enough for Hiroto to hear it- that had slipped.

"Don't close your heart, okay?"

Midorikawa had a confused look as he faced Hiroto. What was he getting at? He couldn't understand the other sometimes.

"Wha-"

"I just felt I needed to say that." _With all the work you do, I don't want you to become just like them._ Hiroto couldn't say that. He had seen others in the organization slowly lose themselves to their work, lose their own hearts. The humans doing this to the Pokemon were beginning to turn into the monsters here.

And he was one of them. The scientist was not. Midorikawa couldn't shut off his emotions nor ignore them. Hiroto could. It had always made him wonder if his heart was closed like theirs. It was a terrifying thought yet he believed it may be true. At times. At least when he wasn't around this scientist.

"I'll let you get back to work. I should be going anyway, I have to see receive a new Pokemon before I go."

 _A Shadow Pokemon_ , Midorikawa thought. "Alright…Will you…come and visit again? You know I can't really leave this place."

"Of course. I did say you're my favorite scientist. I'll be back soon. And I do hope the next time I return I don't see Ralts fretting over you."

As he pointed out the Pokemon, Midorikawa looked over to his Ralts. She was in a better mood now. The psychic type could probably feel that he was a little more at ease, still troubled but not so much as earlier.

"I won't. And next time, don't be so…weird." For lack of better words. He couldn't understand that whole closing his heart thing. He could understand it towards the Pokemon, but not himself.

"Deal. Until then."

Hiroto gave a sweet smile to him, almost as if there were no worries stemming from him. With a wave of his hand, the man had turned to leave from the scientist's work area.

The moment he had, Midorikawa let out a sigh as he looked to Ralts, who was looking up at him.

"I remembered why I stick around here. I guess you know why to, huh?"


End file.
